Process for treating oils and fats.



-w. P M. GRELCK. PROCESS FOR TREATING OILS AND FATS. I

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19 1914- 1',144,539. Patented June 29, 1915.

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PROCESS FOR TREATING OILS AND FATS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application at February 19, 1914. Serial No. 819,622.

f 7 My invention-relates to methods by which fats and oils may be mingled in desired proportions to produce a product which shall be uniform in texture, homogeneous in structure and. elegant in appearance, and the component elements of which will not be readily separated by time or changes in temperature. It is especially applicable to the compounding of fats as used in the manu- I facture of butterin or to-the treatment of process butter.

In the usual way in which butterin is made the various fatty materials are melted together and then churned With fresh cream or milk, the butter fats of which arethereby added to the original mass which also takes the flavor and odor of the milk and cream. The mixture is thencooled by discharging it in very cold or ice water, after which it is salted and prepared for the market. But in cooling the mass in water much of the flavor and aroma of the natural butter'fat and milk are washed out and lost, thus imthe cooling in water and consequent loss of material, flavor and aroma.

I produce a more homogeneous material and one of better texture, while giving it a fresher and more natural quality.

By way of explaining the principles of my invention reference is had to the draw ings, which are diagrammaticin character.

. They do not represent the details of mechanism which may be used to carry my invention into efiect, for this may be done by many variations of the mechanical. means used therefor.

In the drawings: A represents a jacketed mixing stirrer 1. It isconnected by the pipe2 to a homogenlzing apparatus B, consisting ofa pump 3 and ran-adjustable homogenizing valve4. U Y

kettle, provided with a rotary' C is a tank into which the homogenized material may be discharged, and from WlllCll it may be drawn by the pipe 6 to a compression apparatus represented by D.

This Is provided with a series of pumps 7 by which the material is forced through the ity of the nozzles is relieved by the valve 11,

which permits surplus. material, which otherwise would go into the nozzles, to be returned through the pipe 12 to the tank 0.

The number of fats and fatty materials which may be used in the manufacture of butterin is great, and the proportions in which they are used may be almost indefinitely varied. One principal object in selecting the materials and arranging the proportions thereof is to make a product of substantially the consistency of butter and which will melt at practically the same temperature. This result depends largely upon the proportion of stearin used, either as a direct ingredient or as a constituent of other elements. To this end a combination of fats is selected which will contribute the proper proportion of stearin. A typical low grade butterin formula is 25 lbs. of beef stearin, 55 lbs. cottonseed oil, and 20 lbs. well ripened milk. The milk or cream which is added contributes in addition to the butter fats the butter flavor and a certain propor- Patented June as, ram.

tion of water corresponding to that contained in natural'butter.

When it is desired to prepare a quantity of butterin in accordance with the principles of my invention, fats in the proper proportion are placed in the kettle. 1, and therein heated and stirred until a mixture is made. The desired milk and cream may also be added and a'sufficient quantity of salt. When all are thoroughly incorporated, the. fluids are. passed through thehomogenizing valve 4: by the action of the V pumps. The action of a homogenizer under such circumstances is well #known and it is sufficient to say that the'material being I passed through the valve at a pressure of several thousandqpounds to the square inch no r " uniform and highly homogeneous mixture;

This intimate mixture of finely divided and attenuated fat particles is fixed and the particles left-in positiv relation by converting the mass into a nebular form and then in stantly cooling it while in that state. To do this the homogenized material is conducted -from the receiving tank C by means of a compressor as shown at D, to the chill room E. The latter should be provided with an ice chamber e whereby the temperature may be reduced to approm'mately 50 degrees Fahn, or below, as desired. It should also be provided with means, whereby trays emay be so placed as to receive the treated mixture when passed through the atomizing heads or nozzles 9. The mixture being led to the upper part of the cooling room and discharged through said heads, forms a fine mist which spreads out and mingles with the cooler air of the room. The surplus heat is instantly abstracted and the constituent elements are simultaneously hardenedm lard and tags to-ha ethe same as white and free from 5 odor as'possible- The ingredients of comfixed relation to each other. The solidified 1;

particles fall to the bottom of the room where they are received by the traysc' in a light but thoroughly mixed and homogeneous mass. can at once be workedto bring it to a condition of proper density and prepared for the market without fur ther treatment or manipulation.

' I find that the atomized or finely divided spray of oil or grease by being so intimately mingled with the air is oxidized and thereby more or less bleached and decidedly de-H odorize'd. Therefore in the treatment of butterin described, the. cooling chamber should be kept closed and the air therein? little as possible while the proc- .ess is in operation.

pound lard vary greatly, but the fundamental. principle thereof is the same as means of m inven changed erably cha'nged continuously in the cooling stated with respect to butter above, viz., to

ducethe product. y

uired cons1sten cy thg;1 fimsh' 8d en m g sue r ucts y fidii the should be uently as possible and prefsupply afiient amount of stearin'to pro chamber. .For this; purpose a blower Fmay be provided by which, under proper Y ain it fallsmingling tion, through the pipe f, a current 0 air may be driven into the ice chamber 6, wherewith the material sprayed from the heads 9 on'dizin and instantly chilling it. Suitably contro ed outlets as at f provide for complete regulation I of the amoun of air passing through the chill room;

a 5. The pounds which consists in intimately mixingpounds which consistsin intimately working this phase of my 3 I w A f procem it is not always necessarytouse the 7. process of f tt 1:.

homogenizing apparatus. The mingled fats or oils may in some cases pass by the apparatus represented by- B and be pumped directly to the spray jets. This is a matter tion. V

In describing my process and in the claims therefor I have purposely used a variety of language to describe that step in my process and the condition in which the-material is released and subjected to the action of a coolingmedium. But whether the materialisdescrib'ed as being atomized or in the form of a spray or in a nebulous condition, a finely divlded form is to be understood irrespectlve of the means by which theresult is reached or the exact nature or extent of the. comminution. And while I have illustrated the application-of my'process to the production of 'butterin and compound lard, it is also applicable to the preparation of any fatty product in which the materials are mingled to form a homogeneous mas Iclaim: p

1. The process of making fattyco pounds which consists in intimately mixing the component materials, treating the .re-

sulting compoundto form a spray and then congealing t 2. The 7 pounds which consists in intimatel the component materials, treating e resultmg compound to form a spray and causing the spray to be congealed by contact with a e spray.

ltiumgted air body of lower relative te'mperav3- The rocess of m- "fa compounds which consists in process of making fatty com- 'the component the re compound form a; spray and recoivmgthe spray m gaseous fluid of relatlvely lower temperature.-

4.The process of making fatty compounds which consists in. intimately the component atomizing the resulting compound, and thenthe atomized compound. v

the component materials, atomizing the reprocess of fatty com-' sulting compound and causing the atomized compound to becongealed by contact with air of relatively-lower temperature.

' 6. The process of comthe pomponent materials, etc the resultmg compound, and'receiving e atom lzed compound in gaseous fluid of relatively lower inueeee 5:33

pounfis which consists in intimately we. 11% the component materials, treating the re sulting compounfl to form a spray, causing the s m to come in contact with a, body of 5 air 0 re tively iower temperature, anfl continuously ch rig the cooling air bcc'tv.

8. The recess of 1.3 fatty com.- pounds which consists in intimately l= g the component materials, homogenizing the w mixture atone! g the homogenized preduct an ca, se to he received in a fi uid of lower relative temperature,

9. The prcccss 02% g fatty cempounds which co in g the cqm- .nesses MM P, M. GRELCK. Witmes e i=5 ill: Jomr W. 

